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We tell all our guests to keep an eye out for the “big five” species—lion, rhinoceros, leopard, cape buffalo, and elephant—because they’re all incredible animals to see on safari. But originally, these creatures were picked as the crème de la crème of African wildlife not because of their size, rarity, or impressiveness; they were considered the five most difficult species for a big game hunter to hunt on foot.

But what about these animals makes them so difficult—or dangerous—to track down? Why did they make the cut, while hippos (notoriously ornery), crocodiles, and cheetahs didn’t?

Who knows?

Just kidding—we do, and we’re going to tell you:

Lions

Let’s consider a hypothetical: would you want to stand just feet away from a possibly-hungry lion that you’ve just ticked off?

Assuming you’re not a professional death-defier, the answer is probably no, and for good reason. The lion’s powerful jaws, razor-sharp claws, and impressive speed have earned it the status of “apex predator” in Africa. Moreover, lions generally don’t deal very well with irritation (though they do deal with it very efficiently: they tend to attack the annoyance).

If all that’s not enough to convince you that lions shouldn’t be trifled with, bear in mind one of their less-visible skills: their stealth. Lions are able to sneak through tall grasses—where their tawny coats act as further camoflauge—often managing to get within mere feet of their targets before attacking.

Photo: Thomson Safaris guest, Joe V. Smith

Rhinoceros

Nowadays, rhinoceros are so endangered that even seeing one at a distance is a rare treat. But once upon a time, anyone who spotted a rhino would have been wise to KEEP his distance; the animals are notoriously aggressive, charging readily at any perceived threats (that’s a pretty broad definition: they’ve been known to charge trees and termite mounds).

And if they do charge, get out of the way, fast: rhinos regularly top 6,000 pounds, and their elongated front horns have been known to reach almost five feet in length.

Their eyesight is poor, but that might not be in your favor if they see you on the horizon. After all, you might look like an extremely-threatening termite mound at that distance…

Photo: Thomson Safaris guests, Tom & Sue Dority

Leopard

Leopards aren’t particularly dangerous to humans (though they’re still well-equipped in the tooth and claw department), and are generally solitary creatures; once you’ve spotted one, you know where any danger is coming from (unlike many other big five species, which travel in groups).

So why are they on a list of top hunting prizes? Because they’re almost impossible to track down on foot.

…and they’re smart enough to realize that a man creeping through the underbrush towards them means “danger.”

Photo: Thomson Safaris guests, Mark & Elna Jones

African/Cape Buffalo

They may look a lot like well-horned cattle, but don’t let that fool you: the cape buffalo is often called the deadliest species in Africa.

Thick skins, massive bodies, and hair-trigger tempers often lead cape buffalos to charge, and once they do, watch out: the bony horns that cover their head are so thick that bullets may not even penetrate them.

Worst of all, they have an extremely long memory for slights (they also travel in large herds—are they the wildlife version of a mafia family?), which means that once you’ve made their list, they’ll go the extra mile to make sure they check you off it…permanently.

When most of us think of elephants, we think of their famously long memories (which studies have shown are more than just a cute anthropomorphism), of their intelligence, and just maybe, of Dumbo.

It’s hard to square that with deadliness, but any animal as large as an African elephant—and there’s no living land-mammal larger, with males sometimes topping 13,000 pounds—is worth treating with caution.

Moreover, elephants put their smarts to good use, hiding themselves in tall grasses (a fairly impressive feat for a herd of 6-tonners) and charging when they perceive threats to themselves or their relatives.

And though they can’t run for long, because of their huge size, when they do decide to take a jog, they can reach speeds of about 25 mph.

There’s one indisputable mark of a true supervillain. No, it’s not a constant feline companion, or even a plot to take over the world…

…it’s a well-groomed, preferably curled, mustache.

That distinguishing feature alone might qualify cape (or African) buffalos—whose large bone horns are distinctively mustache-shaped—for the title of “original supervillain,” but their dastardly powers extend far beyond the twirling tips of their distinctive headpieces. Oh yes, much further than you know, MWAHAHAHA!

Besides the recognizable silhouette, the horns serve another notable (and potentially diabolical) purpose for the buffalos, members of the infamous “Big 5″ gang (or should we say ‘crime syndicate?’): they make the animals virtually invincible.

Besides the recognizable silhouette, the horns serve another notable (and potentially diabolical) purpose for the buffalos, members of the infamous “Big 5″ gang (or should we say ‘crime syndicate?’): they make the animals virtually invincible.Photo: Thomson Safaris guest, Mary Gremmler

The buffalo’s horns are thick, solid bone, and they fuse at the center of the animal’s skull, forming what’s known as a “boss” (which, incidentally, is also what buffalos insist their minions refer to them as). Often, even at short range, bullets fail to penetrate a buffalo’s skull, and its massive, meaty body, while not armor-plated, is likewise extremely tough.

Of course no supervillain would be complete without a favorite deadly weapon, and the cape buffalo has two: each of those long, pointed horns.

It’s clear where Snidely Whiplash stole his style inspiration…“Villainc” by Caricature by J.J., SVG file by Gustavb – Moved to current name from Image:Villianc.svg (see original file history below). Move approved by User:Superm401.This vector image was created with Inkscape.. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons – http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Villainc.svg#mediaviewer/File:Villainc.svg

With the full weight of a buffalo behind them (the animals regularly grow up to 2,000 pounds), the horns can easily gore an attacking animal—or a human perceived as a threat—to death. Even lions, the apex predator in East Africa, rarely attack a healthy buffalo, and some estimates peg the buffalo as the deadliest animal to humans in all of Africa, more so than hippos, crocodiles, or any of the big cats.

Part of this lethality can be chalked up to the buffalo’s hair-trigger temper; the animals have been known to charge with little provocation.

But then, what sort of supervillains would they be if they bothered to control their tempers?

Thomson Safaris

Founded in 1981 and based in Watertown Massachusetts, Thomson Safaris has been handcrafting trips-of-a-lifetime for over 30 years. Tanzania is our only destination, and has truly become our second home. We’re excited to be able to share it with you through stories and features on our blog.